As more and more people are looking to international communities for the lifestyle they want and can afford, international health insurance is playing an important role in determining the ability to make such a move. However, many people nearing retirement age have concerns about finding coverage if they have pre-existing conditions and have been turned down by other domestic companies in the past.
Having a pre-existing health condition does not mean you cannot find affordable international health insurance and pursue your dream of living abroad.
There are a lot of decisions to make before retiring abroad such as choosing a location in consideration of housing costs, food costs, utilities and proximity to quality health care. Choosing an international health insurance plan is equally as important.
American Insurance for Expats and IMG, International Medical Group, has been in the business of international health insurance for more than 20 years. Meeting the needs of expats living abroad, missionary groups, traveling business consultants, student exchange programs, and frequent flyers, IMG is use to providing health care coverage to the international community. They have earned their reputation for excellence in the international community by maintaining the ability to maintain flexible underwriting and understand that everyone has a unique medical background.
Each application is reviewed based on the full disclosure of your medical history that you provide and coverage is delivered based on:
- Standard underwriting – Standard underwriting provides the full pre-exisiting conditions benefit as outlined on flexible underwriting.
- Exclusionary rider(s) – With an exclusionary rider, IMG is able to extend coverage for medical needs with the exception of the specific excluded condition named in the rider. This allows standard pre-existing condition benefits for non-ridered conditions that may otherwise have been declined.
- Flexible underwriting rider – The flexible underwriting rider allows IMG to extend coverage even if you have signifigant, ongoing, and/or chronic pre-existing conditions. For a nominal annual administration fee, coverage is extended for a pre-existing condition following 24 months of continuous coverage, during which you are symptom, advice or treatment free for that particular condition.
Along with flexible underwriting, American Insurance for ExPats and IMG also provides flexible coverage options. You can choose coverage depending on how many months a year you spend outside of your home country. For instance, you may be considering purchasing a small home in Lake Chapala, Mexico, and spending 10 months of the year in Lake Chapala, while expecting to spend time in the United States to visit family and friends. In this instance, if you are not yet on Medicare, an insurance policy that includes coverage in the U.S. will be perfect. However, if you are already on Medicare, you can choose coverage that does not include coverage in the United States, which will reduce your cost. With these coverage area choices:
- Coverage area choices – You have the opportunity to select the coverage area that best reflects your geographic area of need. Each provides full coverage, but premiums reflect the cost of care in different parts of the world. Regardless of the coverage area you choose, you maintain the freedom to choose your own provider.
- Multiple deductible options – To accommodate your financial resources, you can select from seven different deductible options – all providing different premium levels. Additionally, your deductible can be reduced up to 50% to a $2,500 maximum.
- Four premium modes – Schedule the frequency of payment that meets your means; annual, semi-annual, quarterly or monthly.